Comprehensive scientific periodical, with articles on James Cook and Hawaii

LICHTENBERG, Georg Christoph and Georg FORSTER.

Göttingisches Magazin der Wissenschaften und Litteratur.Göttingen, Johann Christian Dieterich, 1780. 6 parts in 3 volumes. 8vo. With an engraved portrait of James Cook as frontispiece of part 2, 5 engraved plates (including one coloured by hand), 4 folding engraved plates (including one printed on blue paper and with highlights in silver) and one folding plate with letterpress music. Modern paste-paper boards.

€ 4,750

First edition of the complete first series of a scientific and literary periodical, compiled by the German writer Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1799) and the German writer, naturalist and ethnologist Georg Forster (1754-1794), who joined Captain Cook on his second expedition to the Pacific (1772-1775). The sixth article in the second part contains a valuable biographical account of James Cook, who is also depicted on the engraved frontispiece. The fourth article in the sixth part describes Cook's last voyage and death: "In this account, Forster ... combines personal knowledge with statements by Heinrich Zimmermann and Barthel Lohman, whom he had interviewed and satisfied himself as to the accuracy of their information" (Forbes). Also included in the sixth part is a brief ornithological section on a red-feathered bee-eater spotted on Hawaii. The first series of the Göttingisches Magazin consists of six "stücke", each containing between 8 and 11 articles on a wide variety of subjects: the different shapes of clouds; an account of Tahiti; ancient mummies from Egypt; the properties of plants to cleanse the air; the Sanskrit language and script; and much more. Also included are several letters from one scientist, writer or philosopher to another. A few of the articles are accompanied by an engraved (folding) plate.With the pages 149-160 in the fourth part restored at the upper corner and pages 161-168 in the fifth part restored at the fore-edge margin. Otherwise in very good condition, only occasionally a small spot or stain.Forbes 13; VD18 90121872; not in Beddie.